CM announces sops to SCs, STs

Nellore: Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, who was on a visit to the district to participate in the Indiramma Kalalu progamme on Sunday that also coincided with the birth anniversary of Dr B R Ambedkar, announced several sops to the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. He said that the government would pay Rs 2,355 to each of the Yanadi and Chenchu tribals if they work for 15 days under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. He said that the scheduled tribes would be supplied 9 types of essential commodities through packets worth Rs 185. The Chief Minister also sanctioned Rs 3 crore for the construction of Ambedkar Bhavans in Nellore town and Rs 1 crore each in Gudur and Sullurpet towns. He also sanctioned Rs 75 crore drinking water supply project for Sullurpet and Rs 8 crore for the construction of a bridge on Kalindi River. Speaking on the occasion, PCC President Botcha Satyanarayana said that it was highly unfortunate that the Opposition parties were criticising the social welfare schemes taken up by the government and distorting them. He came down heavily on the Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu for trying to forestall the SC & ST Sub-Plan in the State Assembly. In what way would it benefit the poor and the downtrodden if the opposition parties obstruct welfare policies, he asked. Satyanarayana lashed out at the YSR Congress Party leaders for looting the State for their selfish purposes. In his speech, Finance Minister Anam Ramnarayana Reddy lauding the Chief Minister said that credit should go to him for launching the SC & ST Sub-Plan in the State to the Congress Party and N Kiran Kumar Reddy. Sullurpet MLA P Rathnaiah said that the SC & ST Sub-Plan should be implemented by the government with sincerity and commitment in a transparent manner. He lamented that the fishermen were losing their source of livelihood as the Pulicat lake was getting accumulated by silt. Tirupati MP Chinta Mohan appealed to the Chief Minister to close down all the belt shops in the state. The Nellore district in-charge and Tribal Welfare Minister Pithani Satyanarayana, MLAs Addala Prabhakar Reddy and Sridhar Krishna Reddy, former MLAs Khammam Vijayarami Reddy and K Vishnuvardhan Reddy and others were present on the occasion.